California Weekly Roundup: Newsom's Stance on Immigrant Health

Plus: Planned Parenthood funding, Kaiser Permanente strike, VA disability claims, HIV medications, CARE Court, measles, housing vouchers, and more ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­  

Not a subscriber? Sign Up Wednesday, February 11, 2026 Visit KFF Health News for the latest California headlines California Weekly Roundup THIS WEEK'S FEATURE Newsom Walks Thin Line on Immigrant Health as He Eyes Presidential Bid (CHRISTINE MAI-DUC / KFF HEALTH NEWS) By Christine Mai-Duc    California Gov. Gavin Newsom, who is eyeing a presidential bid, has incensed both Democrats and Republicans over immigrant health care in his home state, underscoring the delicate political path ahead.   For a second year, the Democrat has asked state lawmakers to roll back coverage for some immigrants in the face of federal Medicaid spending cuts and a roughly $3 billion budget deficit that analysts warn could worsen if the artificial intelligence bubble bursts. Newsom has proposed that the state not step in when, starting in October, the federal government stops providing health coverage to an estimated 200,000 legal residents — comprising asylees, refugees, and others.   Progressive legislators and activists said the cost-saving measures are a departure from Newsom's "health for all" pledge, while Republicans continue to skewer Newsom for using public funds to cover any noncitizens.   Newsom's latest move would save an estimated $786 million this fiscal year and $1.1 billion annually in future years in a proposed budget of $349 billion, according to the Department of Finance. Read the full story. Follow us online for more KFF Health News coverage: Top Health Headlines From Around California Reproductive Health The Sacramento Bee: Lawmakers Send $90 Million Grant Package For Planned Parenthood Clinics To Newsom  Both chambers of the Legislature passed a grant package for women's clinics. (Graham, 2/9)   KCRA: California Governor Proposes Menopause Support In 2026-27 Budget Gov. Gavin Newsom vetoed a menopause care bill last fall. (Wingo, 2/6)   San Francisco Chronicle: Newsom To Louisiana AG Who's Suing Over Abortion: 'Go F— Yourself' Gavin Newsom had a sharp response to Louisiana Attorney General Liz Murrill's reported plans to sue California and New York for refusing to surrender abortion providers. (Hosseini, 2/6) Health Industry Voice of OC: Kaiser Strikes Swell As Walk-Outs Enter Third Week Health care workers across California and Hawaii are continuing to walk off the job at Kaiser Permanente medical centers, labs and pharmacies, including at two locations in Orange County, to demand increased staffing and wages. (Hicks, 2/9)   Becker's Hospital Review: 2,100 Nurses, Healthcare Workers To Strike Across California, Nevada About 2,100 nurses and healthcare workers from four hospitals operated by Ontario, Calif.-based Prime Healthcare are set to strike this month. (Gooch, 2/10)   Edsource: Cal State To Back Three Proposals On Nursing Education, Campus Safety And More California State University leaders have endorsed a suite of legislative proposals aimed at funneling new nurses into high-need areas of the state. (DiPierro, 2/6)   CalMatters: California Sues Rady Children's Over Transgender Health Care Cutoff AG Rob Bonta sued Rady for ending trans youth care via contract law, not civil rights. Parents ask: Do our protections actually work? (Hwang, 2/4)   Becker's Hospital Review: UC Davis Installs Radiation Platform With Integrated CT Imaging UC Davis Comprehensive Cancer Center in Sacramento has activated a CT-guided radiation therapy platform designed for targeted treatment. (Jeffries, 2/9)   Becker's Hospital Review: What Cedars-Sinai's Near-Miss Analysis Reveals About ICU Patient Safety Nurses' clinical intervention and barcode medication scanning emerged as the two biggest safeguards preventing patient harm in intensive care units at Los Angeles-based Cedars-Sinai, according to a study. (Bean, 2/6) Costs and Coverage CalMatters: California Bans Fees For Help With VA Disability Claims A booming industry that charges veterans for help in obtaining the benefits they earned through military service must shut down or dramatically change under a new law. (Ashton, 2/10)   LAist: LA Voters Will Decide On Sales Tax Increase To Cover Federal Health Care Cuts The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday placed on the June ballot a proposed temporary half-cent sales tax increase to fund the county's struggling health care system. (Stoltze, 2/10)   Los Angeles Daily News: Van Nuys Businesses Say They're Hurting After Viral Dr. Oz Video Alleging Health Care Fraud In Area Dr. Mehmet Oz posted a now-viral video in which he talked about alleged rampant health care fraud in Los Angeles County. (Tat, 2/8)   KVPR: Major Disruption Hits Blue Shield Health Insurance Customers In The Fresno Area Community Health System facilities, including Fresno's Community Regional Medical Center and Clovis Community Medical Hospital ... are no longer considered in-network for patients insured by Blue Shield. (Klein, 2/6) HIV and AIDS (HEIDI DE MARCO / KFF HEALTH NEWS) The Bay Area Reporter: SFAF Opens Castro Pharmacy The San Francisco AIDS Foundation has opened a full-service pharmacy in the Castro. The new full-service pharmacy will allow the agency to dispense PrEP for HIV prevention as well as other medications, officials said. (Ferrannini, 2/10)   Los Angeles Times: $600 Million In Trump Administration Health Cuts Will Hit California HIV Programs Public health experts warned that $600 million in cuts to federal public health funding would endanger one of California's main early-warning systems for HIV outbreaks. (Quinton and Ceballos, 2/10)   Los Angeles Blade: Congresswoman Maxine Waters Introduces New Resolution For National Black HIV/AIDS Awareness Day The resolution supports more funding and awareness for Black American communities, who are disproportionately impacted by HIV/AIDS. (Song, 2/7) Mental Health and Substance Abuse San Francisco Chronicle: California's CARE Court Is Falling Far Short Of Its Goals She begged California's CARE Court to help her son. He died 10 days after it dismissed his case. (Bollag, 2/9)   Los Angeles Times: Homeboy Industries To Convert Monastery Of The Angels Into Treatment Facility The new Home of the Angels is expected to open late next year and will provide substance abuse and mental health treatment for the formerly incarcerated and gang-involved. (Khouri, 2/6)   Edsource: Students Become Lifeline For Peers Facing Suspensions, Mental Health Struggles At Antioch High School in Contra Costa County, students sign up to support peers for substance use and mental health. (Sanganeria, 2/10)   CalMatters: Mental Health Advocate For California Tribes Dies In Murder-Suicide Celinda Gonzales of the Yurok Tribe worked to prevent suicides among Native Americans. She "was a friend to many," the tribe said. (Duara, 2/11)   Los Angeles Times: Meta, TikTok And Others Agree To Teen Safety Ratings Meta, TikTok and Snap will be rated on their teen safety efforts. (Wong, 2/11) Public Health Los Angeles Daily News: Additional Case Of Measles Exposure Reported At Disneyland, Health Officials Say An individual who was infectious visited Disneyland Park and Disney California Adventure Park. (Barragan, 2/7)   San Francisco Chronicle: Death Cap Mushroom 'Superbloom' Leads To Record CA Poisonings Poison control and public health officials tracking the outbreak have noticed a worrisome pattern: Many of the victims are immigrants who do not speak English. (Bauman, Ho and Hernandez, 2/5)   The Sacramento Bee: Bill In California Legislature Would Make It A Crime To Collect DNA Without Consent It would be a crime to take genetic material from a discarded cup, straw, or strand of hair and submit it for testing without permission. (Hunt, 2/9)   Los Angeles Times: Residents Who Sued Due To Putrid Dominguez Channel Smell Win Millions Two dozen people who sued the owners and tenants of a Carson-based warehouse responsible for a putrid smell emanating from the Dominguez Channel waterway, which led to hospital visits and headaches, won a multimillion-dollar verdict Friday. (Campa, 2/7)   inewsource: EPA's Lee Zeldin Visits Coronado To Discuss Tijuana River Sewage The head of the Environmental Protection Agency visited the San Diego border for the second time in 10 months on Thursday. (Salata, 2/5)   Los Angeles Times: Torrance Residents Call For The Ban Of 'Flesh-Eating' Chemical Used At Refinery Residents and advocates gathered Saturday to demand the ban of a chemical that's used at a Torrance oil refinery. (Mendez, 2/7) Homelessness and Hunger Times of San Diego: End To Voucher Program Puts Hundreds Of San Diegans At Risk Of Homelessness Unexpected federal funding issues could undo the progress [Katrina Lewis] and her fiancé, as well as 400 other local households at risk of homelessness, made while in their own apartment or home. (Sitton, 2/7)   Times of San Diego: County Unveils New 'Dashboard' Showing Progress On Unhoused Populations San Diego County leaders Tuesday announced a new way for residents to track the region's progress on homelessness, launching interactive dashboards with real-time data and milestones on the crisis. (2/10)   CapRadio: Sacramento's Young Adult Shelter Turns To Community Support Last year, a shelter in North Sacramento helped over 100 unhoused young adults move into permanent housing. Currently, all 50 cabins at The Grove are filled, and there is a waitlist. (Rodriguez, 2/5)   KQED: San José Mayor Matt Mahan Wants To Be Governor. Here's A Look Into His Signature Homelessness Program How his signature homelessness program is going. (Guevarra, Marzorati, Kariisa and Montecillo, 2/9)   Los Angeles Blade: Project Angel Food Is Now Able To Feed 10,000 People Daily With Expanded Building The new kitchen allows them to serve more of the county's critically ill community. (Song, 2/7)   East Bay Times: Poverty Simulation Highlights Silicon Valley Inequality Experts say the exercise can help people understand what it means to scrape by in wealthy Silicon Valley. (Zambrano, 2/10) Other California News LAist: Altadena Care Facility Pushes Back On State Citation For Eaton Fire Evacuation The daughter of a woman state regulators concluded was left in her room at an assisted living facility during Eaton Fire evacuations confirmed recently that her family did not call 911 about the incident. (Schrank, 2/6)   Times of San Diego: County Initiates Health Inspection At Otay Mesa Detention Center San Diego County has begun the public health inspection process at the Otay Mesa Detention Center. (Ireland, 2/9)   Southern California News Group: LAPD On Course To Put Drones In The Sky As First Responders The Los Angeles Board of Police Commissioners has approved the purchase of 24 drones to bolster LAPD's plans to use them as first responders. (Percy, 2/10) This Week's 'KFF Health News Minute' An expensive new gene therapy that can potentially cure people with sickle cell disease will be covered by Medicaid, but only when it works for patients. Plus, community health centers are preparing to help care for millions more uninsured people. Listen to Zach Dyer ▶️ KFF Health News is a national newsroom that produces in-depth journalism about health issues and is one of the core operating programs at KFF — the independent source for health policy research, polling, and journalism.   (c) 2026 KFF. All rights reserved.   KFF 185 Berry St., Suite 2000, San Francisco, CA, 94107, United States Opt out of all KFF emails | Manage subscriptions KFF, 185 Berry Street, Suite 2000, San Francisco, CA 94107, United States Unsubscribe Manage preferences